Could I use a a Dishnetwork satellite to aim the dish, considering it puts out a much stronger signal? It's not close to being my true south, but I think it'd be easier to get in.
Pictures of my Dish setup. Tell me what I'm doing wrong.
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No because Dish Network is circular polarity and the LNB you have is a linear LNB. 
You will get it! Mine took awhile before I was up 100% and now I have no problem tracking the arc. And I also have no problems tinkering with it now and getting it back onto the arc with no issues.
Think of putting up a FTA dish like learning chineese... you wont know it all in one day... but you can learn!
You will get it! Mine took awhile before I was up 100% and now I have no problem tracking the arc. And I also have no problems tinkering with it now and getting it back onto the arc with no issues.
Think of putting up a FTA dish like learning chineese... you wont know it all in one day... but you can learn!
GM:
Forget about the compass. The compass is not important, and as a matter of fact, I haven't used one in my 27 year hobby with satellite TV. I use land marks and the Sun to do the rough orientation and then use some sort of signal meter to do the final tweaking. Streets and homes, in urban areas, are usually oriented true North (not magnetic) when surveyors determine property lines.
A good level is more important than a compass. I believe you post is out of plumb. Verify it with several levels if you're not sure one is accurate. But your worst error is not letting the dish go all the way to SBS6 using USALS. Rotate the motor back to zero and make sure your dish is looking straight off it.
Bent shaft motors are very easy to tweak. All one has to do is set the angles, rotate the motor to your southern most satellite using the USALS feature, rotate motor/dish assembly on post for highest signal, and you should be pretty close to North and South.
Use your signal meter (handheld or on receiver) to rotate dish/motor assembly on pole for highest reading on true south satellite. Signal changes when you lift up and down on the dish indicates your elevation angles aren't correct. Tweak them until signal is high.
Harold
I thought the invacom quad LNB could receive both circular and linear polarized signals?
No because Dish Network is circular polarity and the LNB you have is a linear LNB.
You will get it! Mine took awhile before I was up 100% and now I have no problem tracking the arc. And I also have no problems tinkering with it now and getting it back onto the arc with no issues.
Think of putting up a FTA dish like learning chineese... you wont know it all in one day... but you can learn!
I live in an area where houses and streets run wherever the horse carved the path 150 years ago.
I've verified it with several levels, and all indicate the pole is plum. I just can't seem to lock onto a darn signal.
Oh I looked at the picture quickly.... didnt notice it was an Invacom quad. (sorry)
While it would help you find your spot in the sky easier, it would not help you with the lower power KU birds. The signal from Dish or Expressvu is MUCH easier to pick up then a regular KU band bird.
While it would help you find your spot in the sky easier, it would not help you with the lower power KU birds. The signal from Dish or Expressvu is MUCH easier to pick up then a regular KU band bird.
GM:
Then use the compass to tell you the general South direction and follow my directions in the previous post.
It's really simple, you're making it harder than it really is. The secret is using USALS to do the precise work, then you tweak it for true North/South.
Good luck,
Harold
GMFreak8, I am looking at the pictures and am trying to figure out exacty where the switch is wired in. The receiver connects directly to the motor first, and then the output of the motor goes to the switch right?
Have you tried taking a TV and receiver out to the dish and hooking it up directly with no switches or grounding blocks involved to see if the quality improves? I don't have an Invacom, but I'm assuming that it is possible to go direct to the receiver.
I do most of my dish pointing with a 13" tv right beside me.
Have you tried taking a TV and receiver out to the dish and hooking it up directly with no switches or grounding blocks involved to see if the quality improves? I don't have an Invacom, but I'm assuming that it is possible to go direct to the receiver.
I do most of my dish pointing with a 13" tv right beside me.
The cable goes from the receiver to the motor, then from the motor to the switch, the switch is then connected to both the circular and linear outputs on the LNB which goes through a grounding block before getting to the switch. I don't even have a 13 inch tv around. The smallest I have is a 19 inch, which is the one in my room.
I think I'm gonna go ahead, reset everything to the zero position, realign the motor to true south, and try once again. *sigh*
There's hell of a lot of play in the damn motor arm, so much it's almost impossible to keep the same signal stregnth after letting go of the dish. It wonders around.
Getting spikes up to 57% on AMC 5, but I just can't seem to keep it there.
Getting spikes up to 57% on AMC 5, but I just can't seem to keep it there.
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GM:
You may have found some of your problem. Variations in signal at the best....no signal at the worst.
Harold
Well right now I sort of have a signal on AMC5. It's jumping between 28% and 60% signal quality. Is there anything I can do about motor play?
I gave up on my sg 2100 because of play (slack) after 6 months or so. Others have had good luck with them for years. I went to a T-90 with 8 LNBs for that reason.
Bob
Bob
GM:
By nature, it has to have some play (backlash) but you can outsmart it. If you're West of South go a little more West and move it back and visa versa to the East. You're taking out the play (backlash) when you do that.
Harold
Exactly. Not too happy with the SG2100 at this point. It's making pointing it even tougher. I still can't get out of the 30s for a constant signal quality, and when I am able to get it higher, the play in the motor screws it up as soon as I try moving it.
Here's a video of the signal quality jumping around. Does anyone have a clue as to why this would do that? I can't seem to lock onto a decent signal permanently, and this has been the best I've been able to do. It's annoying The satellite is AMC5, 12182/H/2300.
ImageShack - Hosting :: video3je8.flv
ImageShack - Hosting :: video3je8.flv
I've moved it all over the place trying to find a decent signal. I can't seem to get it to stay decent no matter what I do, and I've never seen a signal quality out of the 60s.
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